Every Matter Under Heaven
by Akari Kou
Summary: Inuyasha themed drabbles and oneshots, written in response to prompt challenges. Varied characters, various pairings, various mood themes, various ratings.
1. Infinite Human Stupidity

Date: 12.08.2007

Prompt: Rin, pinwheel

Written for Rhoda.

Rating: K+

Word Count: 100

* * *

** Infinite Human Stupidity **

Humans, Sesshoumaru thought, were ignorant fools.

_Still waters ran deep_, they said.

According to that she should've been shallow.

She didn't cry, she howled.

She didn't smile, she laughed.

She didn't walk, but ran full tilt, arms flailing in a colourful whirl like the vanes of a pinwheel.

She loved abundantly, casting aside the preconceived notions of her kind to follow those she wanted to be with and damn the rest of humankind to hell.

She tasted life to its fullest, because she knew what came after it.

She lived.

And if that wasn't depth, he didn't know what was.

* * *


	2. Worship

Date: 12.08.2007

Prompt: Miroku, feather

Written for Quillwing

Rating: M

**W o r s h i p **

„Touch me," she demanded.

He smiled against the smooth plane of her belly.

"Close your eyes, then," he whispered into her navel.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but his face was open and his violet eyes guileless.

"Still don't trust me, my love?" he admonished and blew lightly against the tiny beads of sweat collecting in the dips and lines of her well-muscled abdomen. She shuddered deliciously and scrabbled for an appropriate answer. A light nip at her belly button stripped her of all coherence and she blurted out, "You've groped me one too many times, Miroku! If you are being dishonest, I'll…"

He stopped her with a touch of his fingers against her lips.

"I swear," he breathed, terrifying intensity in the lines of his face, "I swear by all that is holy to me, I swear that I will keep you from harm."

His lips brushed the edge of her ribcage and an onslaught of gooseflesh chased up her spine. "I will shield you with my own body against the cold," his lips were moving against the underside of her breasts, "I will throw myself in the way of any attack," they were now closing lightly over one of her nipples and a guttural moan escaped her throat "and for fear of bruising your skin, I will only touch you with a feather."

He nibbled lightly at the hollow of her collarbone and her constraint snapped. With a choked moan she tangled her fingers in his hair, tipped up his face and plundered his mouth.

"Touch me, " she whispered on the cusp of another kiss and closed her eyes.

Speech failed for some time after that.


	3. Presumptions

Date: 29.12.2007

Prompt: Sesshoumaru, Spiderman, who will win in a fight?

Written for Kati

Rating: K+

* * *

** P r e s u m p t i o n s **

„_Ladies and Gentleman, today the new Spiderman movie has been launched, a film adaption long awaited by Marvel comic fans from all over the globe. I am now connected with your 'CineStars' reporter Tanaka Kuranosuke, who has taken a sneak peek at tonight's gala premiere at the Central in Tokyo. Tanaka-san, how has the movie been received so far? Any reactions?"_

„_Thank you, Yoko! The new Spiderman movie has indeed caused quite a stir in the review sections of newspapers. To hear what people are thinking about it, I have rallied a few statements from tonight's audience and standing next to me is Mr. Sesshoumaru, demon Lord of the West, to give us his very own opinion on the charismatic hero's adventures! Good evening, sir. You have attended the premiere?"_

„Obviously."

„_Ahahaha, yes. And did you, too, come here with high expectations?"_

„None at all, I can assure you. My presence was required by my little human ward whose infernal yammering I intended to put a stop to."

„_Ah, a family outing. Well, sir, my question related to the movie; what did you think of it?"_

„The plot is highly unrealistic. There is no such spider whose bite has the described effect on human beings."

„_Very true, sir. A common trait in fantasy films, I assure you. However, supernatural heroes like _Spiderman_ are offering us ordinary people an example to follow suit, the perchance to dream and be inspired. Everybody wants to be like them. Surely you do, too?"_

„Not remotely, no. To become like him would change my situation for the worse."

„_Ah, sir, surely you are jesting. Dog demon or no, were _Spiderman_ to be matched against you... „_

„Were he to exist, which he does not, and were he to be compare himself with me, which he would be unwise to do, there can be no doubt that this Sesshoumaru would come out of this comparison as the victor."

„_Oh, come now, sir, do be serious. If you were to fight against _Spiderman_ ..."_

„You mean to say were I to fight against a mere boy...?"

„_A boy with supernatural strength, yes. A boy who is capable of lifting a whole building off the ground!"_

„You say that as if it were an extraordinary capability."

„_... and a boy with supernatural abilities, with a highly enhanced sense of hearing ._.."

„What do you mean by 'enhanced'?"

„_'Enhanced' as in 'better than a human's, sir'!"_

„..."

„_With a sense of hearing as good as ... um ..."_

„A sense of hearing as good as a dog's, perhaps?"

„_Exactly! Enhanced hearing, enhanced sense of smell and sharpened instincts!"_

„You mean to say that this human would be, in his transformed persona, in every respect a copy of already existing, _natural _creatures?"

„_Yes!"_

„... creatures of which I am, as a demon, the magical and thus more powerful form?"

„_... yes ... however ... now that you mention it, sir ..."_

„A fight against a boy wearing an absurd attire?"

(sotto voce)_ „Bit rich from a type who is wearing eyeshadow and a fur collar."_

(slide of metal against metal) „Bit cheeky from someone who still has a head to lose."

„A_hahaha... Beg pardon, sir, consider the comment retracted."_

(slide of metal against metal) „Coming back to your question: A fight against a boy who has no weapon ..."

„_He has his spider's silk!"_

„... who has no weapon except for strings, with which he is supposed to prevail against a sword that cuts through flesh, bone, any type of known armour and magical barriers of every kind without even touching them?"

(uncertainly) _"... er, yes, that's the general idea. He's very fast, too!"_

„Almost as fast as, say, my idiot of a half brother who, even as a half-demon, manages to catch a galloping horse with his bare hands?"

(weakly) _„I'm sure he is. Sort of."_

„... and a boy who is greatly hampered by his weakness, too?"

„_Weakness?"_

„He has attached himself to a human girl who is unable to fight. Potential attackers are likely to target her which forces her lover onto the defensive. Clearly this circumstance is a great disadvantage for any fighter."

„_Are you speaking from personal experience, sir, considering you little human...?"_

(haughtily) „I can assure you that this is quite a different situation."

„_Well, you said that ..."_

(slide of metal on metal) „I said, quite a different situation, human."

(gulp) _„Just as you say, sir. So, again, supposed _Spiderman _really existed ..."_

(cooly) „...I repeat, I would beat him in every aspect. I see no point in answering redundant questions, human."

„_Very well, sir. I see no reason to retain you any longer. Have a pleasant evening, sir, Goodbye! Ladies and Gentlemen, this was your 'CineStars' -reporter Tanaka Kuranosuke, who is going to quit his job first thing tomorrow, live from the gala premiere of _Spiderman_."_

* * *

A/N: Constructive criticism is love.


	4. Be Careful What You Dream Of

Date: 02.01.2008

Prompt: Kagome, Inuyasha, first kiss interrupted

Written for Patchcat

Rating: T

** Be Careful What You Dream Of **

Since the beginning of time, the forces of Good and Bad have been engaged in an ever-lasting struggle for predominance. Now, today, this fight had culminated in the be-all, end-all epic battle that was to determine the fate of all creatures on this Earth, a battle between the brave Hero of the Light and the Dark Lord, incarnation of Evil, demonic presence full of cunning and malignance, abomination that Hell itself had spat out again...

With elemental force the two opposing sides had clashed. Screeching and howling had filled the air, terrifying gormless spectators into awed silence as the two combatants had wielded their weapons, trying to undo the other or die trying.

Now that the battle was beaten, the Higurashi living room was lying quiet again. Sir Inuyasha Ironfist, the fearless hero, had conquered the evil tyrant, Lord Souta Darkwing, who, remarkably subdued, had bowed to the victor, put aside his game controller with the grace of a good loser, risen and left the room, casually swiping the game disk from the console to tuck it into the kangaroo pocket on his sweatshirt in the process.

„He's going to practice the whole night long until his fingers fall off and will challenge you the moment you set foot in here again," I told his victorious opponent who was lying next to me, slumped across our couch like an invertebrate.

Inuyasha snorted.

„M' ears are still ringing from the noises this torturing device 's making," he complained, his face hidden in the nearest armrest and his voice accordingly muffled.

„Do you want me to kiss it all better or are you a lost cause?" I asked coyly, more out of habit than out of necessity to rattle him.

„Mmmmmf," was the only reply I got.

Boo.

Either he was too sluggish to react in his usual flustered way or he was slowly getting used to my advances. Or maybe it was both.

Even after several years' worth of living and fighting in close quarters, after quarreling about medically inclined admirers or clay-bodied ex-lovers, a few almost-kisses and more heartbreak than the average morning soap was able to process, Inuyasha's and my relationship --- or whatever it was --- was still as nondistinctive as ever. Not for lack of inclination on my part, to be sure, but a general lack of communication and the resulting suppositions were not the most stable of bases for mutual understanding and trust.

With a long soundless moan I sank back into the cushions. The day had been long and hard, the algebra test had made me testy, various school-related knick-knack had had me knackered and I had no energy whatsoever left to figure out the maddening oxymoron that was Inuyasha.

Instead I was lying next to him, not thinking, definitely _not_, and was grateful to be able to feel his body warmth slowly crawl into my arm and shoulder and to relax.

This was familiar. This was nice. I was surrounded by the slightly musty, sweaty aroma I'd come to associate with him and was most definitely_not_ thinking about how it was just like him: rough, but honest. How it incorporated all that defined him, hard work and poverty, blood and sweat and demon guts and sleeping under the stars whether it was cold or warm, under sunshine, rain or thunderstorm.

How despite his colourful life story he was now all sleepy and warm and sheltered with me, and that, if such a thing as karma ever existed, it would damn well have to make sure he stayed that way. How the universe always piled all kinds of unpleasantness onto the wrong kinds of people was beyond me anyway, but it had happened, happened still and would keep happening.

Still, some day Naraku's luck was going to run out and one of us was going to be there to blast him into oblivion. I only needed to intensify my target practive and

why the heck had Kikyou been such a good archer did they teach it to all temple maidens

think of a little girl

with a weapon in her hand

like Sango

really emancipated

and I still

had to put

the leftovers

into

the

fridge

hmmmm

so

w

a

r

m...

* * *

Warm.

So warm ... so nice and soft and warm and ...

Warm yellow light seeped through my lids. I burrowed deeper into the soft coziness surrounding me and tried to sink into oblivion again. So tired, so ... squashy, such smooth heat against my cheek --- felt soooo good. Idly I nuzzled my pillow and imagined Inuyasha in its place. How it would feel to be held by him? Would he wrap me up just as comfortable as these clouds of cloth did? Would I feel just as safe and happy?

Enshrouded in delicious sleepy fog, I decided that this was _my_ dream, after all. I could pretend, just a little bit, to have him in my arms, couldn't I? To picture my head on his shoulder, instead of the armrest, the fleecy surface of the lining melting and growing limbs and a muscled chest, the corners of my blanket snaking as arms around my body and pulling me into its embrace...

Humming contentedly I curled into the warmth. Even if this was just a dream, right now I was happy. He was here, he was mine and his proximity felt so good that I never wanted to wake. I nuzzled his chest again, dropping little kisses across the expanse of hairless skin over bulging muscles. To my delight, he responded like I hoped him to; he twitched, sighed and drew me closer. Encouraged, I snaked one of my legs between his knees and pecked him again, nudging my way up his chest, nipping his chin and finally covering his lips with mine.

Bliss didn't even come close. His mouth was velvet on mine as I touched it. He inhaled shakily, but after I kissed him again and again, his body grew pliant and and he tilted his face accomodatingly so that I was able to increase pressure.

For a boy he really had a cute, pouty lower lip; it was irresistible to suck it gently, moving across the the seam of his lips to the corner of his mouth.

Rational thinking faded, instinct took over. I lost myself in the tingling sensation that raced through my stomach, each fluttering contact of our lips hunting a new shiver through my nerves. Arms wrapped around my shoulders; I was pulled down into a deep, long, smooth caress that lasted an eternity.

Only hesitantly did I pull back, reluctant to part contact completely. He smiled against my mouth, delicious friction building once more until I dipped my head slowly to claim him once again. His nose against my cheek gave a breathy promise of another piece of heaven, as I ---

BANG !

My whole body seized up in terror, fingers clawed into the bedding. As I opened my eyes, my heart beating in my throat, bright yellow light singed my retinae. I groaned in pain, but trained my eyes into the direction the infernal noise had come from.

„Inuyasha, I have finally mastered the move --- uh?"

A young voice. Souta?

I squinted some more and finally the slim figure of my little brother became visible through the mist. Muzzily my mind picked up the missing pieces of information. My time. Living room. Video games. Fell asleep on the sofa. Had delicious, all-too-soon-disrupted dream about kissing ---

„Oh, God, have you been --- I have disrupted something, haven't I? Eeeurgh!"

_--- disrupted ..._

Souta's face, divided between disgust and horror, was fixed on me, on ---

_... something ---?_

Cogwheels came to a jarring stop.

_Kissing..._

Arms around my shoulders. Warm chest under my palms, my fingers still curled around folds of soft fuzzy fire-rat fur. And at the edge of my vision I saw golden eyes blink open blearily, wander around in confusion before turning towards me, fixing on my own bruised lips, then my eyes --- and widen in dismay.

_...Inuyasha._

Silence became tangible. Through the pounding in my ears I dimly heard the door slam shut as I stared at Inuyasha's gobsmacked expression.

Oh, God. I'd really kissed him? Not a dream?

He was still looking at me, mouth agape and a bright flush spreading over his features. Any minute he was going to find his bearing and then ...?

Several possible reactions rattled through my mind.

_I only thought I was dreaming ..._

_Did you think I was Kikyou?_

_It was an accident ..._

_Souta must have misunderstood ..._

_Pervert!_

_Sit!_

Take you pick. Quickly!

I opened my mouth, inhaled---

--- and his wide wide wide eyes were completely open, guardless, vulnerable, his arms still around me and I still held onto his chest and there was just no denying that _I had kissed Inuyasha because I wanted to, and that he had deliberately returned the kiss._

I couldn't lie. Shouldn't lie. Didn't want to.

And, oh, God, this look. So completely and utterly baffled. So brittle. I was going to hurt him, maybe ruin every happy prospect we might have had.

Absolutely not. Only the truth would now do, whatever the consequences.

For a short moment I closed my eyes, then gathered my flagging courage to throw my truth at him in a daring leap of faith. Slowly, intentionally, I dropped my chin, never removing my gaze from his. Again, his eyebrows flew towards his hairline, but I didn't waver.

I could feel his eyes on me as I bent closer, my gaze riveted to his mouth. His fingers tightened around my upper arms; he nervously licked his lips and a hot puff of breath stroked my chin, for real this time.

„I'm tired of denial," I whispered against his cheek. „and I'm tired of quarreling with you. I may have been dreaming, but this was something I have wanted to do with you for a long time. I like you, Inuyasha. I like you very much. I want to be with you."

His throat constricted while he stared at me, making him look as though he were either mesmerized or terrified. There was only one way to find out which, so I ploughed on.

„I'm going to kiss you again now and hope you accept that. If you don't, pull back, but be certain, because I won't try again."

With one last glance into his golden irises I closed my lids, tilted my head and very slowly dipped my face.

Tension of a completely different sort was skittering up my neck as I did so.

How much distance? A few inches? Or had he already pulled away and I was making a fool of myself, puckering my lips for an unrequited kiss?

Hands reached for my face. My insides froze to ice and a hollow space built in my chest immediately.

My lips never reached his.

Not accepted.

He--- didn't want me.

So.

This was rejection.

It felt like --- oh, it sucked. Completely and utterly.

His voice was so quiet that I almost didn't hear it over the rushing of blood in my ears.

„I'm not that good at this kind of thing, Kagome," he said.

_Sure. You didn't turn Kikyou down, did you?_

„I've never been in that kind of situation before and ---" he continued and snorted a nervous laugh, „it kinda frightens me a bit, y'know. I'd rather face down Sesshoumaru and Naraku at the same time than have this kind of conversation. Am probably far better suited for that, too. But---"

_---I can't be with you? Won't be with you? It's not you, it's me?_

I was still fighting the numbness in my chest and I _would not cry dammit!_ ---

„--- I don't want to lose you. I really don't. And I kinda --- liked what you, what we --- anyway, I won't guarantee that this will work and you will probably wish you'd never asked, but --- I can at least try? If you want to. So ---"

_--- he offers to try._

He ---?

Did he mean to say ...?

I looked at him incredulously. „You .. accept?"

„Er --- yes?" His face was as flushed as a tomato, but he was smiling – smiling! - at me uncertainly.

„So you ---" I had trouble spelling it out, „---will give this a try? Us?"

„Yes. Oi, why are you crying?"

The last question was asked with sudden apprehension, but I couldn't hold back my tears right then.

„I'm sorry," I whispered shakily, "I just thought you didn't --- I can't --- oh!" I buried my face in his chest, again, and fought hard to regain my composure.

In the end I managed to choke, „I'm just so happy, Inuyasha."

„Good, good," he murmured and awkwardly patted my back until I'd quelled my tears enough to be able to give him a wonky smile.

Miraculously enough, he was still there, still smiling. Still looking at me expectantly.

I needed to say something.

„So ---" I said and wiped my cheeks with my sleeve, wondering if I should kiss him now.

„So ---," he parroted, slightly nervous, looked at me askance and finally blurted out, „what am I supposed to do now?"

The last knot of tension residing in my chest finally dissolved in a fit of true laughter.

„Nothing," I replied, still smiling, and bent down towards him, watching his eyes close as I brushed his lips with mine. „I'll do it for you."


	5. Mental Discipline

Date: 03.04.2008  
Prompt: Miroku catches Inuyasha spying on a bathing Kagome  
Written for **inusdemoness** as a birthday gift  
Rating: T  
Word Count: 100

** M e n t a l D i s c i p l i n e**

The world, Miroku mused, was an orderly place.

It was impossible not to appreciate the laws of Dharma and their inherent truth.

Indeed, life was Suffering and Craving its cause. The cessation of Suffering required the cessation of Craving by those who were striving towards Enlightenment.

And as Miroku kept watching a peeking Inuyasha getting clouted over the head by an enraged (and delightfully naked) Kagome, he indulged in a smidgen of smugness, one that surely wasn't going to cause his spirit to deviate from the Noble Eightfold Path.

After all, he was merely admiring the flawlessness of Karmic Justice.


	6. One

**Date:** 17.07.2008  
**Prompt:** special celebration  
Written for **Quillwing** as a birthday present  
**Rating:** M for slightly suggestive wording  
**Word Count:** 150

**O n e **

Evening crept over the Sunset Shrine. A few golden sunbeams ventured into the windows, whimsically licking the faces of a young couple that lay slumped in relaxation, coiled around each other like snakes.

A small, white hand, barely visible, was tangled in a mass of silver hair as it combed evenly through the snarled and sweat-dampened tendrils.

"Inuyasha?"

A whisper, almost a sigh.

"Mmmmh?"

"…thank you."

Pause.

Moments passed in peaceful sleepiness.

"Not bad for a first time, huh?" he finally murmured.

"You were great," she breathed and kissed his ear, prompting him to smile cockily against her collarbone, "I don't think any other man could've done better."

Smug contentment rolled in waves around them like thick, warm fog.

"So," he murmured huskily, "can we do it again?"

"Why not?" Kagome stretched lazily, casting her newly assembled IKEA wardrobe a fond glance, "I saw they have nice coffee tables, too ..."

* * *

_A/N: One day I'll be going to hell for this kind of thing. Feedback is adored. _


	7. modus irrealis

**Date:** 31.08.2008  
**Prompt:** Sesshoumaru, haircut  
Written for **jazzyfay** as a birthday present  
**Rating:** M for **violence and character death  
Word Count:** 200  
**Warning: **Character death. Blood. Gore. I'm really, really sorry for that.

* * *

** modus irrealis **

Perhaps, deep down in her mind, she knew it had always been a possibility. An unspoken one, though, and one she had always forbidden herself to think about, but still. A 'maybe'. A 'hopefully not'.

And it had still not registered completely.

For now, there was only numbness. Her mind was detached from her feet that walked towards his last battle scene in slow, sleepwalking steps.

It was detached from the pitiful squawking of her green-skinned companion.

It was detached from her eyes that roamed over his twisted, battered corpse. Brilliant crimson coated pale skin, snaked delicately around bulging muscles and lovingly hugged his elegant figure in a dramatic, irregular frame. Silvery strands of hair, like an ethereal spider's silk, were strewn over his body, imparting it with an unearthly sheen that, she noted with something akin to satisfaction, did not include his opponent's dead bulk.

He was always beautiful, even in death. Even with a lobbed-off head. Always.

Quietly she sunk to her knees, lay down next to his body, buried her face his the crook of his shoulder and waited for grief to kick in.

Really, she _did _miss the tickle of his soft mane against her face.

* * *


	8. Handle With Care

**Date:** 03.08.2009  
**Prompt:** Sesshoumaru/Rin, hair ornament  
Written for **Quillwing** as a birthday present  
**Rating:** T for **suggested dark themes  
****Word Count:** 200  
**Warning: suggested character death**

**~ H a n d l e W i t h C a r e ~**

He twirled the hairstick between his fingertips, wondering why he had even bothered picking it up.

He didn't even _like _it.

It was too thin and the butterfly attached to its end a too-loud, too-childish adornment.

What unnerved him most, however, was the material.

Plastic, he acknowledged, wrinkling his nose.

Brittle, fake-looking stuff that bent under pressure, gave easily and even when it didn't break, it didn't last long either, grew ugly and grey.

Pale lips curled over sharp teeth. Modern times' junk. It incorporated what he hated most. Breakable, short-lived, fleeting, un-fixable. Oh, how he loathed breakable things!

SNAP!

Sudden pain called him back to the present. Sharp little splinters stuck in his clenched fist.

Flaring anger melted like smoke. Too breakable, again. He should have known.

Slowly, very slowly, he straightened his fingers and turned his palm downwards. The shards slid to the ground.

Click. Click, click.

He turned around, inscrutable expression firmly in place, flipped a flustered cashier a coin and left the store with a swish of shining silver hair, fusing with the crowd as if he had never existed.

Like splintered bones, a few plastic shards from a broken hairpin remained lying on the floor.

..

..

..

A/N: One day I will write goofy or fluffy Sesshoumaru-themed fic. When Hell freezes over. Also, constructive criticism is love.


End file.
